Watch a Great Catch Become a Home Run After Red Sox Player Flips Over Outfield Wall

Mookie Betts of the Red Sox turns a great catch into a home run when he flips over outfield wall.

Mookie Betts of the Red Soxmade an incredible catch on Tuesday, only to see it ruled as a home run a few minutes later.

Wait, what?

This passage from the MLB rule book provides a little bit of clarity, but not too much:

​"A catch is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball."

Evidently, because the ball came loose -- after Betts took a couple of steps, and after he flipped over the outfield wall -- the umpires decided that the catch didn't count, and the result of the play was a two-run homer instead.

The Red Sox ended up losing to the White Sox 9-4, so at least this fairly egregious interpretation of the rules didn't cost Boston the game all by itself. 

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